Call for Applications: RLC Workshop

Background
The Right Livelihood College (RLC) is a global education and research initiative of universities and the Right Livelihood Award, also known as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’ (www.rightlivelihood.org).
The RLC Campus in Bonn is hosted by the Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, and supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). It provides transdisciplinary education and research in fields of environmental sustainability, poverty alleviation and social justice (www.rlc-bonn.de).

The workshop
The workshop will take place from May 9-14, 2020, at ZEF. It focuses on current research and practices concerned with environmental justice and conflict in subSaharan Africa. The topic will be tackled in a transdisciplinary way, combining case studies from environmental, social and economic sciences with best practice examples from civil society action and agency. Key note workshop resource persons will be the environmental activist, author and Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation Nnimmo Bassey from Nigeria, Thuita Thenya from the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmentalm Studies and the Green Belt Movement from Kenya, among others. Bassey received the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’ in 2010 “for his inspired work to strengthen the environmental movement in Nigeria and globally”. The Green Belt Movement was established by Wangari Maathai, who received the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’ in 1984 “for converting the Kenyan ecological debate into mass action”. PhD students will be invited to discuss their research work in a cohesive transdisciplinary way by building on each participant’s experience.
The workshop will target the following objectives:
- to strengthen knowledge and understanding of concepts of environmental justice and conflict in a development context,
- to critically assess the situation from environmental, social and economic development perspectives,
- to present own case studies concerned, and
- to promote transmission of expertise and experience between PhD students, environmental scholars, and ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’ Laureates.

The scholarships will cover all costs for international and national travel, hotel accommodation, catering, and working materials. The workshop will be embedded in a variety of social and cultural side-events.

Who can apply?
PhD students from sub-Sahara Africa who conduct topic-related research from disciplines such as environmental sciences, development studies, ecology, or geography. Preferably in the middle/ end of their studies. Fluent English is mandatory.
Women applications are particularly welcome.

How to apply?
Your application should consist of:
• Completed online application form. See under:Click
• 300 word abstract (in English) of your PhD project and a CV
Invited participants will be informed until April 3.